17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with eloquent wisdom, so that the crossad of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.

CHRIST THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.ae 19 For it is written,

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent.C,af

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law?D Where is the debater of this age?ag Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signsah and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified,ai a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.E 24 Yet to those who are called,aj both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

BOASTING ONLY IN THE LORD

26 Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective,F not many powerful,ak not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosenal what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the worldam—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no oneG may boast in his presence.an 30 It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness,ao sanctification,ap and redemptionaq 31 —in order that, as it is written:a Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.A,b

PAUL’S PROCLAMATION

2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mysteryB of God to you, I did not come with brilliancec of speechd or wisdom. 2 I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.e 3 I came to you in weakness,f in fear,g and in much trembling.h 4 My speechi and my preaching were not with persuasivej words of wisdomC but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.k